


Who Are You, And How Are You In My Town?

by AngelwithMidnightWings



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Slow Build Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2018-09-20 00:38:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9467627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelwithMidnightWings/pseuds/AngelwithMidnightWings
Summary: A new car shows up in town, years after one of their own go missing. Emma doesn't take kindly to strangers encroaching on what's hers. How does she deal with this new person? In pure Emma like fashion, full of snark, sarcastic comments, and protectiveness.





	1. Shameless Flirts, and Angry Sheriffs

**Author's Note:**

> So I should be studying for exams... for tomorrow. However, I've been sitting on this for a while. It started as a single dialogue prompt and turned into this. I hope you enjoy. ;)  
> ~AWMW  
> BTW: No thing within this is mine. Except for mistakes, those i take responsibility for as I don't have a beta. Any takers? ;)

Regina Mills had been missing for four years. Or so Emma Swan said. She would not claim the former mayor dead. From the moment the brunette woman had disappeared, the sheriff had rarely left her station, searching for an answer she had yet to find.

And she outright refused, tooth and nail, to attend the small ceremony the town held for Regina. It was their way to say goodbye, they claimed. She hadn’t stopped her son from attending, for even she was not that cruel, but she made a point not to bring it up and so did he.

Every time she was brought up in conversations, from the blonde woman it was always, ‘when she comes back…’ not if, when.

At the moment Emma is leaned back in her office chair, feet propped on her desk and head lolling. The door slams roughly into the wall, jolting the blonde sheriff from her daze.

“Emma,” David says as she scrambles to sit upright.

She looks up at him, eyes sunken, face thinned from the past few years of mental exhaustion. His eyes soften.

“What’s up, David?” she asks, dragging a hand across her face.

The man pauses, taking in her haggard exterior. “I got a call from the dwarves. Someone just drove over the town line.”

She stands immediately, widening eyes regaining some colour. “Dad, is it her?” her voice trembles.

“I don’t know,” he admits. “They didn’t say.”

Emma nods sharply, grabbing her badge and leather jacket in quick succession before heading out the door. Her jaw tightens as she passes her father and feels his hand hover against her arm. “I know,” she says, voice cracking. “I won’t get my hopes up.”

He doesn’t say anything, just follows her out to the police cruiser parked in front of the station. He watches the rigidness of her movement as she puts the car into gear. The shifting of her eyes every few seconds gives away how nervous she actually was. She swallows thickly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to be discreet about it. The car rolls to a stop out front of Granny’s.

“This is where they said the car headed, right?” she confirms.

“Yeah, I believe that’s it over there.”

David’s pointing at a black jeep wrangler. The two peer at it closely as they pass, noticing boxes crowded into the back seat and a dream catcher charm hanging from the rearview mirror. Emma hesitates as they continue towards the door, pausing on the porch.

“C’mon Emma, let’s go see.”

Before she has a chance to respond, the door swings open and they come face to face with an auburn haired woman with dark eyes. Emma’s eyes meet the woman’s, to which she receives a soft smile. “Sorry, ‘bout that,” the woman speaks with a lilt to her voice.

Their eyes drop from each other, and the woman passes by. She stops by the jeep, unlocking the door to reach into it.

“Emma,” David says. “Emma.”

“Hmm,” she murmurs, turning back to look at him.

He frowns. “It looks like it wasn’t her.”

“It was long shot,” Emma replies, shrugging her shoulders as she bends in on herself. “Want to grab a bite while we’re here?”

David nods, pulling open the door. “What’s Henry up to tonight?” he asks, trying to lure the blonde out of her own mind.

“We’re going to see a movie tonight. He’s been bugging me for weeks to take him out and it’s the Harry Potter rerun week. So Monday to Monday, it’s mother-son bonding time.”

“You’re not working for a week straight?” his confusion is palpable.

Her small smile turns wry as she looks towards him. “Of course, while he’s at school and after he’s in bed I’ll still be working.”

David sighs as they sit at the counter. Glancing over he sees the ragged breath his daughter takes. “It’s not healthy—“

She holds up a hand, cutting off his argument. That hand pushes a limp stand of hair away from her face. “I know, David. But it’s something I have to do.”

“It’s been four years, Emma! Four years, of nothing. It’s time to stop!” irritation colours his voice, drawing the gaze of other customers.

Her head snaps towards him, eyes flashing. Literally flashing, magic swirls in her irises, clouding emerald eyes. Her voice is sharp, hissing through her teeth, “I’m not arguing about this.”

“Excuse me,” the woman from earlier intrudes lightly. The father and daughter pair turns towards her, anger still in both of their eyes. “Sorry, I just needed to grab something, but I was sitting there.”

David deflates with a nod, shuffling over to allow the woman the spot beside Emma and distance himself from his still fuming daughter. Emma’s shoulders are tense as she gestures Ruby over to order a cocoa.

The lanky brunette places a mug in front of the blonde, then hones in on the mystery woman. She holds out her hand for the red head to shake. “Ruby Lucas, you must be new to town.”

A blush, paints the red head’s cheeks rosy. “That easy to tell, huh?” she giggles.

“Not a lot of pretty new faces like yours,” Ruby replies with a wink.

Her blush deepens. “You’re too kind, darling.”

“Honey, I’m just being honest,” Ruby says, wolfish grin coming into play.

“Okay, okay Rubes, take it easy there,” Emma murmurs, lips parting in a sigh.

The redhead turns to Emma, taking in her defeated posture. When Emma turns, light smirk on her lips, the woman turns defensive.  “And who are you to be ordering people around here?” she lifts an eyebrow and Emma rears back a touch.

“Sheriff Emma Swan and I might be asking you the same thing Miss…?”

“Roxanne Stafford, but my friends call me Roxy.”

“Miss Stafford. Are you staying in town for a while?” Emma’s asks quietly.

Roxy smiles, just the quirking of one side of her mouth, but there none the less. “I was thinking about it. There is something quaint in this little town you’ve got yourself here.”

A huff of breath is the only response Emma gives, taking a swing out of her mug and leaning back on the stool. The door to the diner slams open, causing Emma to slip from the vinyl seat. Roxy grabs her arm to steady her, as the blonde’s brunette son bursts into the diner.

“Ma, you ready for tonight,” he leads with no introduction.

She chuckles, righting herself with Roxy’s help. “Yeah kid, order something to eat first though.”

Its then he looks dead straight at Roxy, as if seeing her for the first time. “Do I know you?” he asks bluntly.

“Henry,” Emma chastises. “Where are your manners? You were raised better than that.”

Henry blushes, ducking his head. “Sorry Miss. I’m Henry Swan-Mills.”

“Mills? Is that your father, Henry?” Roxy asks.

His eyes dart to Emma then the floor, his expression closing off and falling faster than Roxy can blink.

“I’m sorry,” Roxy backtracks. “I’ve been warned I can be blunt, it gets the best of me sometimes. I didn’t mean anything by the question.”

Emma’s eyes mist over as Roxy meet’s them nervously. “It’s… It’s a sore subject, Miss Stafford. _Mills_ is his other mother. She was the former mayor of our little town of Storybrooke.”

“Former? Do you mind me asking—“

“Yes, now if _you_ don’t mind, my son and I have plans.” Emma stands to wrap an arm around Henry’s shoulders. “Have a good afternoon, Miss Stafford. Enjoy your stay in my town.”

Emma and Henry make their way out the door with the blonde throwing one last glare over her shoulder.

Roxy sighs, muttering more to herself than anyone else, “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Ruby and David share a pained look, before the lanky brunette clasps a hand over the other woman’s. “It’s a sore subject, honey. Emma took it really hard when the mayor went missing four years ago. She hasn’t stopped looking for her.”

Roxy peers curiously at Ruby. “It’s been four years, and she’s _still_ looking?”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Ruby says with a slow shake of her head. “She claims its dedication to her job, but I think she just doesn’t want to admit she lost someone she cares about again.”

“Again?”

David sighs. “It’s been a rough life for her.”

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. But on another note, do you know a cheap place I could stay awhile?” Roxy asks, trying to get off the slowly depressing topic.

“I can set you up with a room here,” Ruby says with a soft smile. “Welcome to Storybrooke.”


	2. Scheming Sons and Curious Redheads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry meets the new girl in town, and makes his mother mad. But it's Emma, is it really that hard.

A few days later, Roxy sits at a bench that overlooks the park. She’s reading ‘The Daily Mirror’, occasionally placing it to the side to make a note.

“Hey,” a soft voice says from beside her. She jumps, whirling around to find Henry sitting on the bench about a foot away. She hadn’t heard anyone come up.

“Hi,” she says breathily. A small chuckle escapes. “Can I help you with something?”

He offers a smile. “I just wanted to introduce myself. We got off on the wrong foot the other day and I wanted to apologize as well.”

“Well, I’m Roxy, and you don’t have to apologize, I was out of line.”

“You were just curious. It’s understandable seeing as you’re new to town.”

“Yes, well I could have been more subtle. You seem like a nice young man, how old are you Henry?”

He slides away from her a fraction. “Nineteen. My mom says I shouldn’t talk to you, but won’t tell me what you did wrong. Did you do something Miss Stafford? My mother doesn’t dislike people for no reason.”

Her eyes fall, drifting to the hem of her shirt where she picks off an invisible piece of lint. “I’m sorry to hear that, Henry. My pushing must have really upset her and that’s understandable. If there was something I could do to make it up to her I would. I plan on being here a while and don’t want any trouble with the sheriff.”

“Are you looking for a job, Miss Stafford?” he asks suddenly, lips curling into a wide grin.

“I could use one,” she replies hesitantly.

His grin widens. Before he can speak however, a severe voice speaks up from behind the auburn haired woman. She was really getting sick of these light-footed people sneaking up on her.

“Henry, what are you doing?” Emma asks harshly, glaring at the back of Roxy’s head.

“Sorry, Ma,” he replies. But Roxy notes he doesn’t sound sorry at all. “I was just curious about our newest resident. In fact, she’s looking for a job.”

“Henry,” Emma warns, light growl in her throat.

Roxy, looks hesitantly between the mother-son pair. Henry has a smirk on his lips while Emma scowls at him.

Henry turns to Roxy. “Miss Stafford, I’m sure if you hand in a resume to the sheriff’s station, you have a high chance at the open position on their secretarial staff. It may not be the best but it’s a start, and would sure help our local sheriff.”

Emma’s glare turns to Roxy, waiting, albeit impatiently, for her response. “I could use the job,” she concedes.

“Good to hear,” Henry exclaims. “Ma, it’s only fair you give her equal opportunity as you would anyone else, if they _had_ applied for the position.”

“Henry,” Emma says with a sigh. “You just made up that position, the sheriff’s station is fine as it is.”

“Ma,” Henry replies, his wide grin fading. “You need to stop. It’s been too long. She wouldn’t want you to wear yourself down like this. You don’t sleep. You rarely eat. You’re not taking care of yourself.” His eyes well with tears, and he wipes them away before they fall, turning away with a sniff.

Emma’s eyes soften. “Kid, she would only be worried about if I’m taking care of you or not. That’s my priority.”

“Is it,” he snarls, standing rigidly. “How would you know if I’m being taken care of? You’re never around! I lost one mom but it feels like I lost both of you. You’re not here half the time and when you are, you stare at nothing. And I know you’re hurting but I am too and I need my mom; at least one of them.”

Emma’s wiping her own tears away, turning away to clear her throat, and Roxy thinks it’s the first time she has been looked at clearly, with emerald eyes and no anger in them. “How soon can you start?” she asks authority in her voice, the residue of unshed tears in her eyes.

“As soon as possible,” Roxy replies with a smile. “Thank you, Sheriff Swan.”

“Be by the station at five, I’ll get you set up,” Emma says with a nod. She turns briskly, calling a sharp, “Henry,” over her shoulder and walking away.

Henry smiles at Roxy and murmurs, “Sorry ‘bout that,” before he takes off after his mother.

Roxy watches as he catches up to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She leans into him, her own arm encircling his waist. Roxy watches them until she can’t see them anymore.

She turns back to her note book, making little checkmarks along a short list kept at the back. With a final look at her list, she packs everything away in her purse, getting up and making her way to her jeep.

Once she arrives back in her room at Granny’s, she spends about a half an hour showering and cleaning up before she’s ready for her first shift at the sheriff’s station.

“Hey Ruby,” she says, flagging down the lanky brunette. “How far is the sheriff’s station from here?”

“Not too far,” she replies, pointing towards the back wall. “Just down this street and one over.”

Roxy smiles up at her. “Thanks.” There’s a pause and then, “about the sheriff.”

“What about her?” Ruby questions; leaning forward over the counter. A grin curls her features and she waggles her eyebrows suggestively.

A blush climbs up Roxy’s cheeks. “I take it she isn’t good around new people,” she comments lightly.

Ruby’s grin fades a touch. “It just takes her a little while to come around. Why? Did something happen?”

“No, I, she doesn’t seem to like me. I haven’t done anything wrong, so I was figuring it could be a trait of hers.”

“She’s become more closed off since the disappearance. Don’t take it personally, Roxy. She will come around eventually.”

Roxy sighs, looking around before leaning in. “Would you tell me what happened? I’m curious, but every time I mention it, I’m shut down.”

Ruby smiles, but pulls away. “We may be a small town, but some serious stuff went down a few years ago. The mayor disappeared during the whole fiasco, which our sheriff took very personally. Think of her as the mayor’s personal body guard, so when she disappeared Emma took it very hard. She won’t give up looking for her. We’ve all tried to get her to move on but she doesn’t take kindly to those suggestions. I recommend not bringing it up.”

“I’ll see to it,” Roxy nods, solemnly. “I should be on my way.”

“To start your shift, right? Bring these for Emma,” Ruby grabs a bag and places a few bear claws in it. “Bit of a weak spot for the sheriff. Good luck, Roxy.” The redhead wasn’t surprised the talkative brunette knew about the job she had procured only an hour or so beforehand. It was a small town after all.

Roxy nods, taking the proffered gift. “Thanks, I’m going to need all the luck I can get.”


	3. Closed Folders and Plans Unfolding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxy takes notes on the Sheriff and finds out little on what her new job entails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT so any characters you recognise I don't claim.
> 
> A/N: I hope you continue reading this story even though it's really, really slow burn. It will get better have faith in that fact!

Her heels click against the floor, the short hallway seeming longer as the nervousness of starting a new job piques. The heavy doors that separate the entrance from the bullpen loom in front of her shut tight as if in resistance.

With a quick breath she takes hold of the door knob, prying it away from the frame with a screech of metal the department ought to get checked out.

“Hello,” Roxy says hesitantly, peering into the room. David catches her attention with a soft wave in greeting, gesturing her into the room with a large smile adorning his features.

“Hi, it’s Roxy, right? Emma mentioned you’d be coming by. She’s in her office right now, but I don’t believe she’s too busy.” He talks hurriedly, as if he believes that should he not do so she would change her mind and leave before her first shift even began.

Roxy nods, heading towards the small separated area. The first thing she notices is a red leather jacket, hanging on a hook by the door. She had not seen Emma wearing it earlier that day, so she wondered why it was here now. The weather had not changed much since they had talked. In fact in the few times she had seen the blonde sheriff around town she was sans red leather at all. The door hangs open about an inch or so and when she knocks, the soft force pushes it open even further. “Sheriff Swan,” Roxy greets, not wanting to startle the woman.

Emma doesn’t even look up from her papers, choosing instead to finish scribbling down whatever she had been working on. “Come in and close the door please,” she replies, voice monotone and giving nothing away.

Roxy does as asked, catching David’s thumbs up out of the corner of her eye. She smiles as the door slides into place and turns back around, taking the time to look around the small office area. There is a set of filing cabinets just beside the door and another behind the only desk in the office. The filing cabinets by the door are neat, drawers tucked in nicely. The ones behind the sheriff are covered in piles of paper, loose pieces sticking out of drawers. The desk where the sheriff is still working at is also covered in paper, two neat stacks near the front read _To Read_ and _Looked Over_. Various other papers are what the sheriff is using to prop up her elbow as she writes and seemingly what is used as a spread that covers the rest of the desk.

A few pictures line up along the front of the solitary computer on the desk, what is in the frames Roxy can’t say, as they are not turned her way, but the wood underneath where they lie is scratched. The only other things in the room are a plain, straight-backed chair and a waste basket. Crumpled papers and take out bags with _Granny’s Diner_ scrawled across them fill it to the brim.

Emma slides the paper she had been writing on into one of the haphazard piles on her desk, before folding her hands in front of her. When the blonde turns towards her, she lets out an amused sigh. “You can sit down, Miss Stafford,” Emma suggests.

Blushing, the redhead does so, sitting opposite the sheriff. Seeing emerald eyes find the bag in her hand, Roxy holds it out. “Ruby said you enjoy these,” She explains.

“I see, thank you,” Emma says, leaning forward to take the bag from her. Static jumps between them as their fingers touch, both hissing and jerking away, Emma has grip of the bag. “Sorry,” she murmurs, tucking her hand into a fist.

“Its fine,” Roxy replies with a smile.

Emma’s smile in response is more of a grimace, and placing the take out bag by her side turns to fully face Roxy. “Right, well, we should get down to business now. I apologize for what you witnessed earlier between my son and I, however since this _job_ sort of just appeared out of nowhere we will have to work through a few kinks together.” Roxy nods her confirmation when Emma pauses. “It will be a full time position, 8-5, is that alright with you?”

“That’s fine with me.”

Emma pulls out a notebook which has illegible scribbles within it. Apparently Emma can read it though as she traces over the words with a finger. “You will be filing mostly, working with David, and helping on some cases if you wish. I don’t know what you expect from this job but we can go through and increase what you need to do as necessary. Will that suffice for now?”

“Yes, thank you, Sheriff.”

“No problem, if you go out to the bullpen, David will show you where you can set up your desk.”

Roxy stands to leave, pulling open the office door. She turns and isn’t surprised that Emma has that messy folder of paper back open on her desk. “I do mean it, Sheriff. Thank you for giving me a chance.”

The smile Emma gives this time only ghosts upon her features. Roxy beams, because though she said nothing and it was barely there, the smile, however brief, was actually real.

Roxy steps out of the office, smile still in place and comes face to face with David. She clutches her chest and glares lightly up at him. “You people, have got to stop doing that,” she exclaims.

He has enough sense to look sheepish but doesn’t move away. “How did it go?” he asks.

“Well, she didn’t take away my job.”

“Your job?” he seems confused, brow crinkling.

Roxy looks at him, searching his face for deception. When she finds none she shakes her head. “She never told you why I was coming here today.”

It wasn’t a question but David still shakes his head no.

“She gave me a job here, or rather Henry did. I came in to work out the details but I was worried she would tell me she had no room.”

David moves away then, blowing out a long breath and grinning at Roxy. “It’s a start,” he says happily. He’s making his way through the desks now. “Pick a desk and it’s yours…Except for that one, that’s for our other occasional helper. She likes her own desk.”

“Thanks,” Roxy says, choosing the single desk closest to the sheriff’s office. She places her bag down, leaning against the edge of her desk. “Now, please tell me how I can get Sheriff Swan to stop hating me.”


	4. Where Is She?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxy can't find the Sheriff.

_This wasn’t her Emma. Her Emma had shining hair, and princess curls when she left it down. She used to be a closed book full of anger and defensiveness but she had opened up. Her pages had been carefully browsed through and memorised in awe._

_She was different now. Her pages were blurry, lines smudged by tears. She was angry again._

_This wasn’t her Emma. They didn’t know each other anymore. Years of separation passed._

_This Emma was distant again. Her pages glued shut to keep everyone out._

_She hated herself, it was clear for anyone with eyes to see. She had lost someone close to her. It was her fault._

_Her Emma was gone again._

_Her Emma didn’t even recognize her anymore._

_Every time their eyes met and all she got was a blank stare, her heart broke a little more._

_Every time she looked at **him** , and caught him staring in a confused, hopeful recognition, her throat closed up. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t reach out._

_It was killing Emma; her blonde savior. She was watching Emma deteriorate._

_It was killing Emma._

_It was killing her._

…

It had been four months since Roxy showed up in town.  Three and a half since she had started working at the sheriff’s station.

It was a few days later that Roxy walked into an empty station. Emma Swan was not in her office in typical fashion. The door was swinging as if someone had just walked past it, but it was eerily silent. It was barely eight in the morning and Roxy had learned Emma always showed up between six and seven, and that was if she even made it home the night before. The sheriff’s car was out front as well as her bug, but Emma was absent.

Making her way to her desk to place her purse on it, Roxy pulled out her cellphone to call David.

_Ring_

She rechecked the separate office.

_Ring_

She checked the attached changing room.

_Ring_

She even checked the cells along the back wall, knowing Emma had taken to sleeping there on occasion when she woke in the middle of the night.

_Ring_

“Hello,” David’s voice is strained over the phone.

“David, its Roxy.”

She hears shuffling over the phone and can picture David sitting up in his bed. It was his day off. “Roxy, it is eight in the morning on my day off... Not to be rude, but why are you calling?” he asks.

She takes in a shuttering breath as she begins to panic. “I can’t find Emma. She’s not at the office.”

“That’s a good thing; maybe she is finally sleeping a little more. Like I would like to be at the moment.”

“No, you don’t understand, David. Her vehicles are all here: The sheriff’s car and her bug. But she’s not. Her phone’s on her desk. I don’t know where she is, David.”

She hears him moving faster. Then he pauses and sucks in a breath. “What is the date?”

“February twenty-second.”

The movements abruptly stop. “It’s today,” he says with a sigh.

“What’s today?”

“She’ll be out in the forest today. Take the path out the back doors and follow it to the cliff. That’s where you’ll find her. Would it be possible for you to bring her some food?”

Roxy’s throat is closing up as she responds. “Of course,” her voice cracks.

“Oh and Roxy,” he says as she goes to hang up.

“Yeah,” she asks hesitantly.

“Take care of her please.”

She follows the path that David mentioned, carrying nothing but her cell and lunch bag. The path is roughly shaped, roots and leaves falling across her path, making her stumble a few times. It looks like few people had ever walked along it, made out of hasty necessity rather than leisure.

When she does break through the edge of the trees, it does indeed end in a wide expanse of the cliff. Her breath catches when she sees the lone figure sitting on the edge, cross legged and stopped inward, blocking out the outside.

“Sheriff,” Roxy starts, tentatively moving closer to the blonde.

She doesn’t even flinch. She makes no movement to even indicate she heard the approaching footsteps of the redhead.

“Emma,” Roxy tries again.

She reaches her, hand moving towards the other woman’s shoulder when she stops. Not wanting to touch this fragile shell of the tough boss she had come to know lest she break into a million uncollectable pieces.

Instead she decides to sit beside the sheriff. Crossing her legs under her and being a silent companion as the blonde stays in her bubble of misery. While they sit Roxy sees that Emma is cradling something in her lap. Upon discreet inspection she sees that it is a picture frame. She can’t see what the picture is.

“How did you find me,” Emma croaks at last.

Roxy turns towards her, catching sight of tear stained cheeks, and wild eyes. “I called David.”

Emma wipes at her face, sucking in a deep breath. “I’m fine, Miss Stafford. You can go now,” she says quietly.

Roxy says nothing, just nudges Emma’s shoulder and holds out a hand for the picture frame. It’s given to her hesitantly.

Roxy finds a dark haired woman smirking up at her. The smirk is playful but the eyes are open and honest. “Is this the mayor?” she asks. She runs her fingers over the image, seeing the soft nod out of the corner of her eye. “It was five years ago today,” it’s not a question.

There’s another nod and more wiping of the eyes.

“You loved her.” It comes out quietly but it’s not a question either.

The blonde whips towards her, eyes flashing. “She was my son’s mother, of course I loved her.”

Roxy shakes her head. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

Emma just looks at her, not saying anything for the longest time. Their eyes meet, neither willing to look away.

The blonde’s hand reaches out and grips Roxy’s forearm tightly. She leans in conspiratorially and gestures at the picture frame with her free hand. Her voice comes out in a whisper but they are close enough that the redhead hears her words loud and clear.

She goes cold with dread as Emma pulls away, her words hanging between them.

_“I’d know that smirk anywhere.”_


	5. Revealed Secrets and Harmful Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma confronts the woman she never thought she'd see again.

_David glared at Roxy, who sat facing the Sheriff’s separate office, turned purposefully away from him. His glare turned from her to **his** box of donuts that sat on top of the bookshelf in the corner of the room. He knows he didn’t do it, and Emma never joked around anymore. So it must have been Roxy who moved the box._

_“I know it was you,” he accuses, grabbing a chair to reach the box, when he realizes he’s not tall enough. “And don’t think I won’t get payback.”_

_“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Roxy replies with a shrug. She continues typing away at her laptop._

_He glares at her again as he’s walking back to his own desk, box cradled in his arms protectively._

_“You know, that much sugar isn’t good for you,” Roxy quips._

_She meets Emma’s eye as she glances up, the smirk playing on her lips faltering as she catches the other woman staring at her hard._

_Her heart flutters an extra beat and she tampers down the smirk, going quickly back to her work._

_…_

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Emma growls, a sneer pulling at her features.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about, Sheriff Swan,” she replies, hesitantly.

Emma glares at her, much like her father had done weeks before. It’s the same clench of her jaw and narrowing of the eyes she sees from Henry.

“I mourned for years,” the blonde snarls. “Henry was crushed.”

The redhead stands, backing away. “It’s not what it seems like.”

“What does it seems like,” Emma stands as well, following the other woman closely. “My superpower still works. It always worked…” The _‘with you’_ is left unsaid but still heard loud and clear.

She looks away, sucking in a deep breath. There are tears in her eyes when she turns back to Emma. “How long have you known?”

Emma follows the woman across from her with her eyes as the redhead glances around nervously.

“I couldn’t figure out what you were lying to me about. But right from that first conversation, I knew when you introduced yourself.”

“When did you know, Emma?” her voice is desperate.

Emma hesitates. “When you hid the box and before that when you were talking to my son. When you said my name for the first time, as if you had muttered it a thousand times before; it… it was like before.”

The other woman is backing away now, edging into the forest behind the clearing. “This is a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“No,” Emma shouts. “You don’t get to do that again.” Magic sparks from her fingertips, reflecting the deep glow in her eyes.

“Emma, stop,” she begs, eyes widening in an unrecognizable fear.

The blonde woman lunges for her, pulling her into her arms and holding tight. When she looks up into tired green eyes she deflates, slouching into the other woman’s arms. “I’m so sorry, Emma. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

The magic around them diminishes as Emma begins carding her fingers through auburn hair. As she does this, the red hair starts to fade to black, fair skin melts into an olive colour. When Emma looks back down at the shorter woman, she’s met with liquid brown eyes, and a familiar face.

“Regina,” Emma sobs, clutching the woman to her. She freezes as Regina finally leans into her. “Regina,” Emma says, again. This time her tone is angry as she pushes the brunette from her.

The older woman stumbles, tripping over an extended root. Her fall isn’t graceful and she lets out as screech of pain as her forearm connects with the ground. “Emma,” she gasps, looking at her with eyes still wide.

“Henry has mourned you for five years,” Emma spits. “I—I thought I lost you. It was my fault you were s—separated from us.”

“Oh, Emma,” Regina murmurs, brushing the dirt from her arms and moving to stand.

The blonde takes a moment to assess the woman before her. Her figure is thin, thinner than it had been five years prior. Her clothing hangs off her frame. It’s what she used to wear, when she was mayor, not the sheriff’s assistant secretary.

This is not her Regina.

This woman, Emma doesn’t know who she is.

Where had she been the past five years to have let this new woman take over?

Emma stands hugging her arms to herself, afraid the temptation to reach out to the other woman would be too strong.

“I will explain everything to you, Emma. I promise. But we can’t stay here. If you knew who I was, others could too.”

There’s a panic to her voice, rising to hysteria, but Emma shakes her head, hands coming up to clap them over her ears, trying to drown out that voice. That familiar voice, in the body of this stranger.

Emma lets out a gasp when the other woman grabs her arms tight. “Emma, we can’t stay out here.”

“This is the safest spot in the town,” she responds, more out of habit. A habit, she realizes, died out five years before.

Regina’s still holding her as Emma’s voice dies out and they just stare at each other for a few long minutes.

“What happened five years ago, R-Regina?” Emma asks quietly.

Regina takes a step back, her arms dropping to her sides. She looks regretful.

“What made you leave? Where have you been? How could have left Henry?” _And me…_

“It’s complicated, Emma.”

Emma is shaking her head, blonde hair limp around her face. She’s exhausted; mentally and physically. She’s so tired of hurting and waiting and wishing for a woman who no longer exists. But as this other woman stands in front of her, she can still see parts of her Regina, in the honesty in her eyes, the rigid posturing…The lies written across her face. Or the half-lies. She doesn’t know anymore.

“You could always tell me the truth,” she suggests, half-heartedly, with a shrug of her shoulders.

Regina steps back again. “I…I don’t want to, Emma.”

“Stop saying my name!” the blonde shouts. “Stop hiding from me. Tell me!”

Before she can fully realize what she’s doing, Emma flings her hands towards the brunette across from her. It sends her flying back in a blast of magic, knocking her into one of the trees behind her. The thud her body makes as it crashes into the forest floor has Emma reeling in horror.

“No,” she cries, moving towards the fallen woman. “I’m so sorry.”

The brunette doesn’t move when Emma kneels beside her. She’s breathing, but doesn’t flinch as Emma brushes hair away from her face.

“I’m sorry, Regina.” With the last apology, she conjures a dream catcher, motioning it back and forth over the brunette’s unconscious body.

“I will find out the truth, Regina. You won’t have to be afraid anymore. You can come home to us; to Henry and me. It will all be okay again.” She leans over her, brushing her lips against a flushed cheek.

Tears roll down her own cheeks as she admits the secret she’d been harboring for a long time.

“I love you.”


	6. She Has To Tell Someone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now she knows... And what is she supposed to do? Tell someone? They won't listen, and they won't believe her if she does.

Emma calls David. Even though it’s his day off and she knows he will be furious. At this point she could care less.

She had brought Regina-Roxy to the office and positioned her so when she woke up she would just believe she fell asleep at her desk.

“Dad, I have some information about Regina.”

She hears his sigh and it hurts that he has become so fed up with her over the past few years.

“Emma, can we talk about this another time. Your mother just made breakfast and I was hoping to enjoy it.”

She gives a tight-lipped smile even though he can’t see her. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. I can check it out by myself. Enjoy your breakfast,” she snaps.

She cuts off his “ _Emma_ ” by slamming the end call button on her cell.

She brushes a few lingering strands of hair from the now red-haired woman and sighs. Moving back into her office, she hides the dream catcher in the top drawer of her filing cabinet. “For safe keeping,” she murmurs, turning to sit a t her desk.

Now that she knew the truth, she had to try even harder to find out why Regina had disappeared on them. She needs to know what was so important that it caused the former Evil Queen to flee.

She unearths the files she has collected over the years from the ever growing pile on the corner of her desk. There’s more than six folders completely full and deemed completely useless by the blonde sheriff at one point or another in time. The guilt builds as she pours through the folders again, for the millionth time, to try and find something her tired eyes had missed before.

“Sheriff?” Roxy’s voice questions. She’s rubbing at her eyes, standing in the doorway to Emma’s office. She looks inexplicably confused. “When did you get here?”

“When I arrived you were asleep,” Emma murmurs. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I came in and you weren’t here,” Roxy says. She’s looking back out into the bullpen, brow furrowed.

Emma sighs. “I stepped out to grab something,” she explains, no hesitancy.

“Oh,” Roxy says, looking a little lost. “Okay then. I will let you get back to what you are doing, sorry for disturbing you and falling asleep.”

Emma looks up. “You weren’t disturbing me, I apologize for working you so hard.”

Roxy smiles wide, an unfiltered look at the offered softness from the hard-headed sheriff. And Emma’s heart breaks a little more inside seeing it. Her voice cracks when she speaks, “But if that’s all, I do need to get back to my work. Why don’t you take an early break? Make a Granny’s run, on me.”

“I just slept all morning, are you sure,” she says, her brow furrows.

Emma nods. “Positive, enjoy.”

Roxy hesitates in the doorway, and Emma’s stare hardens. “If you don’t leave soon, I will take it back,” her voice verges on teasing.

Roxy smiles and Emma is happy for a moment that she can placate the woman and imagine her as she used to be. Her eyes are the wrong shade but the sparkle in response hasn’t changed.

“Okay,” Roxy says, backing away with her hands raised in playful defense. “Do you want anything while I’m there?”

“Actually yeah,” Emma starts, turning back to her filing cabinet. “Could you see if Ruby could come see me after her shift? I need to speak with her about something.”

Emma misses the way the woman in the door deflates at the mention of the other woman. “Sure,” she murmurs. “I’ll be right back.”

Emma nods distractedly, grabbing at something from a drawer. Roxy sighs quietly as she leaves, shutting the office door with a soft click.

The blonde woman glances at the closed door, then where her red leather jacket hangs on the back of it. She hadn’t wore it in a while, reminded too much of a brunette complaining about it in a teasing way. She knew the woman secretly loved it, had felt her hand lingering at her elbow or the small of her back. She had her nose twitch as she leaned in, a subtle sniff at the jacket and its owner. Emma had never commented; worried it would drastically change the budding friendship they had built. She wished she had. She wished she had swept her son’s other mother up into her arms when she had the chance. Maybe she would still get the chance.

Shaking her head, she pulls the biggest folder from the cabinet drawer and plops it onto her desk. Flipping it open she’s confronted by a photo of the brunette.

A smile creeps its way across her features as she remembers the day this picture was taken.

_“Miss Swan is this really necessary,” Regina questions from her study desk. Despite her displeasure she has yet to move from the position Emma put her in._

_Emma smirks, looking at the brunette through the lens of her camera. “You agreed, Madame Mayor,” Emma teases. “I want to get back into photography.”_

_“And you couldn’t have picked anyone else,” she mutters under her breath._

_“I have pictures of everyone else already. You were the only one I didn’t have. Even Pongo let me get his picture with less complaining then you.”_

_Regina scoffs to which Emma chuckles. “You comparing me to that dog does not make me want to do this any longer,” Regina threatens… but she doesn’t move._

_Emma kneels in front of the desk, Regina’s eyes flick to her as a smirk curls at her lips. Her hair frames her face and she keeps her hand tucked under her chin, like Emma directed when they had started this. Her glasses that she only wears when doing long hours of paperwork are perched on the edge of her nose._

_“Perfect,” Emma whispers, her camera covering most of her face. She smiles when through the lens she sees the soft blush paint Regina’s cheeks._

_The camera shuttered._

“Emma?” Ruby’s voice breaks her nostalgia. She’s holding out a tissue.

Emma hadn’t even realizes she was crying.

“Sorry,” she mutters. “Is Roxy here?”

Ruby shakes her head. “She said you wanted to speak to me, but she was staying to finish her coffee.”

“Okay good,” Emma says, standing up and shutting the door to her office.

Ruby’s eyes widen. “What’s going on?” she asks, hesitantly.

“That woman,” Emma hisses, turning back to Ruby “is not Roxanne Stafford as she claims. My lie detector has been going off since she waltzed into town and I confirmed my suspicion this afternoon.”

“What are you saying?” Ruby asks. “Who is she?”

Emma pauses in the pacing she had started. Her eyes connect with the brunette’s.

“It’s Regina.”


	7. Careful Confessions, and Hopeful Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma tells Ruby what happened that day. And decides its time to figure out how to fix everything.

Three months Emma sat on the information about who Roxy was. She had recruited Ruby to help her and dig back into the investigation for what happened to Regina all those years ago.

They remapped out the entire day, start to finish, of the day that Regina disappeared.

“You had breakfast with them that day, right?” Ruby asks, leaning against the sheriff’s desk.

“Yeah, when I woke up, I went over to the mansion. David called us halfway through needing me and Regina for something, I don’t remember what. We took the bug, dropping Henry off with Mary-Margret before heading out to meet him.”

She pauses, coughing to relieve the pressure behind her eyes. Ruby gives her a small frown, rubbing a hand down her arm.

“It’s okay to be emotional, Emma,” Ruby says quietly.

“There’s nothing to be emotional about,” Emma says quietly. “It’s in the past.”

Ruby just gives her a look before nodding for her to continue.

“We were hit on Mainstreet, the bug rolled. When I woke up, Regina was out in the street, bleeding from somewhere, and she was limping, but she had a magic shield out in front of us. She was struggling,” Emma says, shuddering slightly. “It was the most scared I have been when Regina was involved. Her magic, it kept shuttering in and out. She called my name a few times, trying to see if I was awake or to get me to move, I never got the chance to ask her.”

“And you passed out again?”

“Yeah, when I woke the second time, she was nowhere to be seen, and David was above me, shaking me awake. I looked for her as soon as I could stand. But she was nowhere to be seen. There was destruction all down mainstreet, noone to be seen though, Regina seemed to have vanished without a trace. When I recovered a few days later, I traced her magic trail from mainstreet, but it just led me around town, and to the townline. I couldn’t find her, it was very alarming and distressing. I couldn’t ever imagine her leaving Henry, willingly or not; unless it was something very life-threatening.”

“It was scary for all of us,” Ruby admits quietly. “We didn’t just lose Regina that day. We lost you too.”

Emma scrubs a hand down her face and sits heavily in her office chair. “I know,” she murmurs. “I could feel myself pulling away but I felt so helpless. How could I be the saviour if I couldn’t find Regina?”

“I get it, you loved her,” Ruby comments.

Emma cuts her a sharp glare. 

“Oh come on, Em,” Ruby stresses, leaning against the desk. “We could all see it.”

Emma twists the chair away from the brunette’s questioning look, instead focussing on the store bought painting hung on the back wall. “She knew. She told me briefly that she knew, before I told her I knew she was Regina and she got defensive. She kept asking how long I knew that it was her. She was worried about her safety.” Emma’s brow furrows as she swivels back, grabbing her notebook from the drawer and flipping it open. She jots something down and circles something else, her pen scratching against the paper.

“What?” Ruby questions, leaning over to try and read the sheriff’s penmanship. 

Emma looks up at her, a glare forming. “The person that sent her into hiding is still in town.”

…

“Sheriff Swan,” Roxy calls into the office. “Henry is calling. Line 2.”

“Thank you,” she calls out, before picking up the phone. “Hey Hen, what’s up?”

“Grandma and Gramps want to have dinner tonight. Would you be up for it?” he asks hesitantly.

Her heart clenches at the spark of hope in her boy’s voice, his careful wording to hope she was willing to go. She knew then she had let him down.

“Of course, call your grandparents back and let them know we’ll be there for six.”

“Really,” he asks.

She smiles into the phone. “Yes, we haven’t done family dinner in a while.”

She can practically see the beaming smile that lights up his face. “Okay. You are going to be home soon then?”

“I just have to finish filing a report and then I will be right home.”

“Okay, see you soon. Bye ma, love you.”

“Love you too, Hen,”

When they hang up, Emma swivels her chair back to face her desk, the smile still in place. She’s startled to see Roxy in the doorway.. “Sorry to interrupt,” the auburn-haired woman says. “But I couldn’t help but overhear about your plans. If you want I can finish filing the report?”

“You’d be willing to do that?”

Roxy nods. “One late night at the office won’t kill me. And I know it’s important to spend time with your son.” There is the ghost of something in her eyes that Emma would have missed if she didn’t already know who Roxy was.

“What about your family?” Emma asks, tentatively, careful on how she broaches the subject.

She sees the woman tense. “I used to have one,” she admits softly, shoulders hunching in on themselves. 

Emma stands and makes her way over the the doorway, passing the other woman so close their clothing brushes against each other. She squeezes the woman’s arm. “I’m sorry.”

Roxy nods and moves past the sheriff to grab the file from the desk. “Enjoy your family dinner, Sheriff Swan.”

Emma smiles gently at the woman, before heading out of the building to her car. A resolute thought sticks in her mind. She won’t let the woman she loves leave her again, not if there was something she could do about it.

…

Her and Henry arrive at her parent’s apartment at exactly six o’clock. Immediately she’s got arms around her waist. She bends down to scoop up her little brother. 

“Hey, Neal,” she says tickling the six year olds stomach.

“Em,” he greets, wrapping an arm around her neck when he’s done laughing.

She hugs her parents with one arm each, a smile on her face. 

Her father looks at her curiously. “You’re in a good mood,” he comments.

She shrugs and wraps an arm around Henry, keeping him close for a moment. “You know, things have changed, we’re moving. That’s all I can ask for.”

They all look at her a little strangely. 

The rest of the night is pretty smooth, the dinner enjoyed by all.

Near the end, Emma makes an announcement. “I’ve decided I’m going to have a barbecue and invite some people. Would you guys be interested?”

“Of course, Emma,” Mary-Margaret says, a delighted smile breaking out. “When will it be?”

“Next weekend.”

“We’re supposed to have good weather,” David adds into the conversation. “It’ll be a nice day for it.”

Emma smiles. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”

No one knew it was only the first step in Emma’s plan on how to bring Regina back to them for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm slowly but surely coming back. I fell into a funk when it came to writing but hopefully I'm working past it successfully.   
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, there is still more to come.


	8. Not so Great and Powerful Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out just what happened to make Regina leave, but who is the new villain in town....

_ She was a formidable opponent. Even injured, she put up quite the fight. _

_ She grit her teeth and limped forward, magic pushing against the others.  _

_ The other woman smiles. “What chance do you have?” she taunts. _

_ “You will not hurt my family,” Regina growls, one arm tucked against her chest. _

_ The woman chuckles. “It’s not your family I want. I wouldn’t have come through you if they were what I wanted.” _

_ Regina’s eyes widened and her shield weakened for a moment. She looked taken aback.  _

_ “Why would I waste magic on you, when they are all so much weaker? Where’s your son now, Your Majesty? With Snow White and Prince Charming? Neither have magic. I thought you were at least adept in battle strategy.” _

_ Her jaw clenched again. “Then why did you attack us?” _

_ She tsks, another wave of magic pushing against the former Queen’s. “I will be the most powerful magic user in Storybrooke,” the woman claims. _

_ Regina’s eyes flick to the unconscious blonde behind her and the other woman takes a step forward. “Not so long as Emma is around.” _

_ The woman scoffs, pushing back long silver hair from her face. “The  _ Savior _ ,” she hisses. “Is useless, unless you are around. Once you are gone, she will be useless again.” _

_ Another push with her magic energy and the Queen stumbles. She hisses as her magic evaporates between them. _

_ The woman smiles, a toothy grin pulling at her features. A flick of her wrist has the brunette flying through the air, letting out a gasp as she collides with a brick wall. _

_ The woman stalks towards her, watching the futile attempts she takes to right herself. She bends down in front of the former Queen. _

_ “Who are you?” Regina growls, swatting away the woman’s hand as it reaches for her. _

_ Despite her best efforts, the older woman’s hand curls around the brunette’s chin. “Don’t fear, dear. It will be over soon. I will be the most powerful sorcerer in Storybrooke and you, well you don’t need to worry about that.” _

_ Regina’s eyes widen. She clutches the wrist of the woman, nails digging into skin, drawing blood. “Leave them alone.” _

_ “I will get what I want,” the woman claims, “Merlin thought he could erase my memory from history, because he was too afraid of my power. They will all know who I am.” _

_ The woman’s hand glows and she draws it back, aiming at the fallen Queen. “I thought you’d put up more of a fight,” the woman taunts, “or are you not the Evil Queen you once were?” _

_ Regina’s eyes close, exhaustion rolling over her in a wave. This must be her ending, she thinks, after everything she had done, and survived through, she would die to this woman she had never met, or heard of. _

_ “Please,” she whispers, sagging back against the wall she had collided with.  _

_ The woman pauses, watching the Queen give up before her eyes. The light in her hand extinguishes and she looks to the fallen savior, an idea forming. _

_ When the Queen isn’t hit with the magic, her eyes crack open tiredly, widening at the figure drawing away, moving towards the blonde. _

_ “No,” Regina calls. “No, leave her be. Miss Swan! Emma! Wake up, dammit.” _

_ The blonde, remains resolutely unconscious. _

_ The woman glares at Regina. “Leave town, your Majesty. Leave and never come back, or else I will kill your family one by one, starting with your savior.” _

_ Regina gasps, trying to right herself, bracing on a lamppost as she pulls herself up. “Okay,” she concedes softly. “I will leave.” _

_ “There must be no contact with the town,” the woman barks, running a hand above the blonde. “If you come back, and I find out, the sheriff will lose her life. Are my rules clear?” _

_ The brunette grits her teeth, a glare forming. “Crystal.” _

_ The woman stands, a smile widening across her features. “Now that, that is settled, you’d best be out of town before she wakes up, dear. Do fix yourself up, I’d hate for you not to suffer.” With those final words she disappears in a puff of smoke.  _

_ Regina stumbles her way over to the blonde. “I’m sorry, Emma,” she murmurs, brushing blonde hair away from the younger woman’s face. “Please forgive me for leaving you.” _

_ With a gentle kiss to the temple, the brunette stands and begins limping away, her magic enveloping her. She begins covering her tracks, criss-crossing around town before using the last of her energy to bring herself to the town line. _

_ She looks behind her once more, hoping someone would be there, claiming this whole thing to be orchestrated. Another moment, and no one showing up, she stepped over the line, refusing to shed the tears brimming in her eyes, _

_ She would figure out who this woman was, and how to defeat her, but until then, she would be alone once again. _

_ … _

“Hey, Roxy,” Emma murmurs, standing in the office door.

“Sheriff,” Roxy replies, an easy smile slipping over her features. “How are you today?”

Emma rubs at the nape of her neck. “Everything is okay,” she admits. “I have a question for you.”

“Oh,” the auburn-haired woman says, curiosity peaked. She’d never heard the sheriff sound so nervous. “Nothing too bad, I hope.”

“No, nothing bad,” Emma is quick to reassure. “I was wondering if you wanted to come to a barbecue I’m hosting this weekend. No pressure or anything, most of the town will probably show up.”

Roxy pauses a moment, mouth hanging open. It snaps shut and she swallows, eyes tightening at the corners. “I appreciate the offer,” she starts, before Emma interrupts her.

“I’d like you to come,” Emma admits in the face of her hesitancy. “Henry would to.”

The other woman’s eyes soften. “Who am I to deny that boy,” she jokes, chuckling lightly. “Of course I’ll come.”

Emma’s face lights up. “Great.”

“Should I bring anything?”

“Only your sparkling personality,” Emma jokes, a rarity for the normally stoic woman. She blushes a moment later turning away. She clears her throat. “Right, um, we’ll see you at three then.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

Emma smiles as she walks out of the office, leaving the other woman to her work.

Once she’s sure the other woman has left, Roxy stands and makes her way to the sheriff’s office. She takes hold of the family photograph on the desk to stare at it a moment, a ritual she had developed whenever the sheriff stepped out.

The picture was of Emma, Henry and the former Mayor out front of Granny’s. Each were holding ice cream. Emma and Henry’s were cones with two giant scoops on top, while Regina’s was in a cup. The two with matching grins appeared to be teasing the brunette woman as the picture was snapped. All three looked happy.

Roxy sighed, placing the photo back down. She hadn’t meant to stay here so long, but there was no going back now. She had to find a way to defeat the villain who had exiled her. It wasn’t just her life that depended on it.

She knew if she told Emma, the blonde would be gung-ho for helping and saving her, but the burden was hers alone, one she must take responsibility for. That was if the blonde could ever forgive her.

But she’d start her search at the barbecue, and hopefully not get too distracted by the blonde sheriff she had come to adore.


	9. Barbecue and Apple Cider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma's barbecue is well under way when they get an interesting visitor.

Emma did not think this through. She didn’t remember the first thing about hosting a barbecue. It used to be that Regina would host the parties and she would show up with a bottle of alcohol or a store-bought dessert of some kind.

Luckily she had help.

Mary-Margaret was more than willing to help with the cold foods, David would be helping her with the actual barbecuing, and Ruby, who knew of her plans, brought the booze.

When the day arrived, it seemed half the town had heard about the barbecue. Person-after-person showed up until her barely used back yard was filled up.

“This was a good idea, ma,” Henry says, standing beside her where they are greeting people.. When she looks at him, with a smile on her face, she notices that his eyes widen in delight.

She turns to see who he is looking at and finds Roxy walking towards them. Her features are pinched tight in hesitation and Emma frowns for a moment. “It was a good idea, Hen,” she replies, eyes on the red-headed woman. “Go say hi to Miss Stafford and bring her a drink. She looks like she needs it,” she teases gently.

“Why don’t you?” he questions, a twinkle in his eye.

She reaches up to ruffle his hair, and he frowns, shaking it back into place. “Because I’m your mother, and I told you to. Actually, bring her some cider, the strong stuff from the house,” she replies.

His eyes widen slightly and he looks back to the woman in front of them, still making her way up the drive. “You want to give her mom’s cider?”

She sighs and wraps an arm around him to give him a quick squeeze. “Well, somebody has to drink it eventually.”

He nods hesitantly and moves off, getting the drink like she’d asked and most likely going to tell Ruby that she was giving out Regina’s cider. He was such a little tattle-tale, she muses.

A soft, “hey”, interrupts her thoughts.

Bringing her focus back to the present she smiles at Roxy. “I’m glad you could make it,” she greets. “I thought for sure you’d change your mind.”

“I’m not so sure I still won’t,” Roxy teases, a smirk curling her lips. “Where’d Henry go? I just saw him with you a minute ago,” the other woman says.

Emma knows what she’s doing when she says that. She’s giving a reason as to why she’s surveying the crowd so intently. What she’s looking for though, Emma couldn’t say. “He stepped into the house for a second,” is Emma’s reply. “He’ll be right out.”

Ruby walks up a moment later, smirk etched deep into her features as she looks between the two women. 

“Roxy, we haven’t seen you at the diner in a while,” Ruby comments, slipping an arm around Emma’s waist.

Emma looks at her curiously but turns to Roxy when she speaks, “I’ve been busy. But I can probably stop by sometime this week if you want.”

“That would be great, we’ve been missing our favourite customer,” Ruby replies, bumping Emma’s hip with her own when she lets her go. Ruby gives Emma a look before continuing. “Enjoy ladies,” she says before walking away.

“Hey ma,” Henry says, walking up beside her, glass of cider in his hand. He turns on his charming smile as he holds out the glass to Roxy. “This is for you.”

Her eyes widen in delighted surprise. “Oh thank you, Henry,” she says, smile stretching her features. She takes the glass daintily and brings it to her lips, taking a small sip.

Both mother and son are watching her do so, each for their own reasons, but they see her eyes widen in what seems to be shock as she tastes the drink.

She cools her expression as she pulls the glass away but both mother and son had caught it. She clears her throat and smiles thinly at the pair. “It’s very good, what is it?”

“Apple cider,” they answer in sync.

The two share a fond smile.

“The best apple cider you’ve ever tasted,” Emma adds quickly.

Roxy chuckles but her eyes are hooded as she swirls the liquid in the glass.

Henry squeezes Emma’s arm and she nods to his silent question. “Why don’t you come join the party?” Henry suggests to the auburn-haired woman. “David and Leroy are setting up games in the back.”

Roxy looks up with an actual smile. “Well we can’t let them win can we,” she says, beginning to follow after him.

She gazes back at Emma, the smile still in place as she walks away, and the blonde nods at her.

She’s drawn away from watching Henry and Roxy walk away when a voice speaks from behind her. “Ah, Sheriff Swan, I don’t want to intrude but this was an open party?” the voice says quickly.

When Emma looks, she finds a stout older woman with a mess of grey hair atop her head. She finds herself nodding. “Of course, the whole town is welcome if they wish, I just don’t know if I’ll have enough room,” she comments with a smile.

The woman frowns briefly, before managing a smile onto her features. “That’s great news, I would hate to show up uninvited.” She doesn’t sound like she’d hate it at all.

Emma tilts her head in question as she asks, “Have we met before? I don’t think I’ve seen you around town.”

“Briefly,” the woman says with a shrug. “I don’t get out much.”

“And how did you hear about the party?” Emma asks, crossing her arms.

“It was the buzz of the town. When I was in Granny’s Diner one day, everyone was talking about it. I asked the waitress and she said it was an open party, anyone could come.”

Emma nods. “I see. Well, enjoy the party…”

“Miriam, dear. But everyone calls me Mim.” The older woman pushes a lock of grey hair behind her ear.

“Right, enjoy the party, Mim.”

The older woman smiles and walks towards the rest of the guests. Emma watches her a few minutes until she hears a burst of laughter from a corner of the backyard. 

She looks towards the noise and sees Henry and Roxy laughing and high-fiving one another. She smiles at her son’s happiness around the other woman.

She’s still watching the pair when she sees Roxy pale and drop her cup in shock. The rest of the cider in her cup pools at her feet as Emma follows her gaze to where it’s looking at the very woman Emma was just talking to.

The blonde watches Mim raise a glass of wine in the other woman’s direction.

Roxy turns away at once, moving in Emma’s direction but not seeing her. Her eyes seem to be glazed over.

Emma grabs her arm gently as she’s moving by and stops her with a soft, ‘hey.’

“Sorry, Sheriff. Something came up.” The red-head wipes a hand over her eyes where tears are beginning to form.

“What’s wrong? Everything was fine a second ago,” she questions quietly. She lowers her voice even more. “Don’t let her win.”

Roxy’s head whips towards her, eyes wide in panic.  She pulls her arms away. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Sheriff, everything is fine.”

Emma just meets her eyes for a moment before she nods and steps away. “Thank you for coming. I’ll see you at the station on Monday.”

Roxy still looks hesitant but nods and leaves, the gate slamming shut behind her. Emma takes a breath and turns around to find all eyes on her.

“She forgot about an important file I asked for. It’s important for Monday,” Emma explains. “Everyone go back to your partying.”

She sees Ruby and Henry give her a questioning look and she shrugs before looking around to find the mysterious grey-haired woman again.

Except the woman is no longer in sight. Something about the woman unnerves the blonde sheriff and so she must be crucial in Regina’s disappearance. Especially if Roxy reacted like that.

Emma calls Ruby over and explains to her the development in the case. “Keep an eye around town if you see that woman,” she says. “If you do, let me know immediately.”

Ruby frowns. “I’ve never seen her before in my life. But I will let you know if she pops up.”

Emma nods and Ruby walks back to where she was talking with Mary-Margret.

She knew that if they found the woman, they might be able to figure out why Regina was still masquerading as the red-haired Roxy.


	10. Come Clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a turn for the worse, and Emma decides it's time for someone to come clean.

“Sheriff Swan,” Roxy greets as she walks into the office on the Monday, following the barbecue.

Emma leans back in her seat and smiles up at the redheaded woman. The other woman won’t meet her gaze as she shifts things on her desk. “Good morning.”

Roxy smiles lightly then. “I am sorry about leaving early the other day, Sheriff, something came up.”

“No need to explain,” Emma claims standing up and moving out of her office, toward the other woman. “I told the others that you forgot a file, in case you’re questioned about it.”

“Thank you for covering for me,” she says quietly. “And for inviting me in the first place.”

“You’re part of the community, of course I’d invite you.” She pauses and stops right by the other woman’s desk. “Can I ask… why did that woman elicit such a reaction?”

“Like I said sheriff, something came up. I forgot something I had to do.” She’s steadily avoiding eye contact.

Emma uncharacteristically nudges the other woman with her hip to get the redhead to look at her. “You don’t have to lie to me. If she’s been giving you a problem, I can talk to her for you.”

“No,” Roxy is quick to say. She clears her throat when she realizes her outburst. “”No, I’ve never seen her before.”

Emma can see she’s lying, knows the other woman’s tells like they have done this dance before. But she can’t let her know. So instead, she says with a smirk, “have I ever told you I have a super power?”

Roxy raises her gaze and quirks an eyebrow in the sheriff’s direction. “I don’t believe you have.”

“My son, he hates this superpower of mine, he can never get away with anything because of it. I always know when someone is lying. And you have the tells of someone who is lying right now. It was a valid attempt to hide it, really,” she teases. “But you should know, I can always tell when someone is lying.”

Roxy is staring at her with wide eyes, mouth open in shock. “Please, just leave it alone,Sheriff Swan,” she whispers finally, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Emma sighs and steps back and the tension that had been building between the two dissipates. Emma moves back to her office, calling over her shoulder. “If you ever need anything, my door is always open. Please remember that.”

Emma grabs her red leather jacket, sliding it over her shoulders, and pulling it tight.

She’s leaving to give the other woman room. “I’m going for a walk, I’ll have my phone on me if there is a call.”

Roxy sits at her desk and nods, opening a file on her desk, while the blonde walks past her.

…

Emma kicks at a stone in her path, scowling as it bounces down the sidewalk. She knows she needs to stop pushing the other woman, but she also needs to figure out what this Mim character has to do with Regina’s disappearance.

She’s not paying attention to her surroundings as she walks the streets she’s walked a million and one times.  

When she passes Granny’s, she smiles and waves as Ruby catches her attention. She’s looking towards the brunette, when the other woman’s features drop into terror and she’s calling out her name in warning.

Emma’s head whips around, her curls blinding her for a minute, and she hears the screeching of tires seconds before the vehicle is crashing into her.

She hears her name screamed, sees figures rushing towards her, and a blinding pain across her body before everything goes black.

…

She slowly wakes to a dulled pain, mind hazy. She’s been under too many times from her bounty hunting days not to recognize the anesthetic. But she can’t remember what exactly happened until she hears voices in the room, raised in high emotion.

“I didn’t have control of the car! It was magic, I know it!”

“You hit our daughter with your car, she could have died!”

“Snow! I would never mean to hurt her, how could you suggest that?”

“Enough you two,” that’s Ruby’s voice, she recognizes. The other two are her parents, for sure. Did they say, David hit her with a car.

She groans as a pinch of pain slides down her spine. Her eyes blink open slowly and she sees the bleary figures of the three voices she recognized.

“Emma,” her mother says in a breathy voice, stroking an unruly strand of hair from her face.

Emma winces as the three shift and the light hits sensitive eyes. When her eyes open fully, she sees three pairs staring at her in concern. 

“Emma,” Snow repeats.

“Emma, I’m so sorry,” David says carefully. She catches the glare her mother gives to David.

She just blink up at them a moment before turning slowly and carefully to Ruby, who is watching her with concern. “What happened?” she croaks out.

The brunette grabs water from the side table to let her sip at before she explains.

“You were hit by a car while walking down the street. We don’t know how it happened yet.”

“Who hit me?” she questions.

Ruby looks up at her father and he looks like he might throw up. “I did,” he says quietly. “I don’t know how it happened. One second I was driving down the road normally, and the next thing I know, the truck is accelerating and the wheel is jerking to the side of its own accord. My guess is that it was magic, but there are only a few known magic users in town. And I’m doubting you would use your own magic to make me hit you.”

Emma grits her teeth and winces when it causes a flash of pain.

She turns to Ruby. “Get her for me, bring her here.”

“Are you sure?” the brunette asks, hesitant.

“What are you talking about, Emma?” Snow asks.

“Mom, Dad, I need you to leave for a bit. Watch over Henry, and get Gold and Blue, have them meet at town hall. I will explain everything, but not now.”

They are hesitant but they nod and begin to leave.

She nods to Ruby. “It’s time.” She takes a deep breath despite the pain. “It’s time she comes back to us.”


	11. We will get her back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Ruby confront Roxy.

Relief floods the redhead’s eyes when she sees Emma awake and blinking up at her. 

“Sheriff,” she says, moving to stand beside the bed.  “I’m glad you’re okay.”

There is a shake in her voice, only Emma can pick up on, the other woman looking as if she wants to hug or touch the sheriff in some way, to make sure she really was okay.

“Ruby, close the door please,” Emma says, looking to the brunette.

Once that is done, she goes to stand on the other side of Emma. “There is something we are going to need your help with, Miss Stafford,” Emma begins. “We need to find the person who tried to kill me, but at the moment I don’t have enough magic power to find them. I was hoping you could help me.”

Roxy nodded and then seemed to catch herself as Emma’s words washed over her. Her eyes flashed as she looked at the blonde with wide eyes. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Sheriff. Magic doesn’t exist.”

Emma looks at her hard. “It’s time for the charade to be up. I almost died today, presumably because you are in town, and you must have promised not to or something would happen. We can’t catch them, if you won’t be honest with us.”

Roxy shakes her head, clenching her fists, and hugging her ribcage. “No, no. You don’t know what you are saying, Miss Swan.”

Emma smiles lightly. “I missed that,” she murmurs, looking at the other woman. “You can stop hiding now.”

Roxy eyes Ruby, who raises her hands in a placating gesture. “I’m not hiding, Sheriff.”

Emma snorts, and it causing a jolt of pain down her spine. She winces and shifts to alleviate the pain, but the movement jut agitates her wounds more.

The redhead’s eyes flood with worry as she rakes her gaze down the woman’s body, taking in every nick and bruise caused by the crash.

“Hiding in plain sight was wise,” Emma continues when the pain subsides. “But you could never hide from me. I will always know when you are lying, and you set off my superpower as soon as you came to town. Just looking at you, it would go off…”

“And look she did,” Ruby murmurs under her breath, but both women hear her and she shrugs with a smirk.

“We never stopped looking for you. Henry was devastated when you disappeared. He cried himself to sleep for weeks and wouldn’t leave my side, scared I would disappear to.”

A tear drips down Roxy’s cheek. “Stop, please, Sheriff Swan.”

“Don’t deny it,” Emma encourages, motion for Ruby to help her sit up. “You can fix everything with him when we catch the person who did this to you and to me. Come back to us, Regina.”

At her name, the other woman breaks down with a sob, collapsing in the chair beside the Sheriff’s hospital bed. Emma reaches out to clutch the other woman’s hand, squeezing tightly, until she looks up, tears in her eyes.

Emma motions her closer, onto the bed, and she’s hesitant but complies, eventually curling into the blonde’s side.

Ruby moves away when Emma wraps her arm around the crying woman, and begins whispering words against her temple. She gives them space, moving out of the room to get a coffee.

When she comes back, she’s slightly speechless when it is Regina she sees sniffling against Emma, and not the redheaded Roxy.

Her eyes soften as Regina looks up her, eyes terrified. “I’m glad you are here again,” she admits, going to stand by the bed again. She hands her a coffee, the way Regina liked it, not Roxy, and chuckles at Emma’s look of betrayal at no coffee. “Sorry, Em. Strict rules from Doctor Whale, no caffeine.”

Emma pouts but there is mirth in her eyes. Ruby catches Regina’s eye as the brunette takes a sip of her coffee and she lights up in surprise.

“You remembered?” she questions in awe.

“There were thirty years of that order before you disappeared. You’re pretty hard to forget.”

Regina blushes at the statement and nods, sipping the steaming beverage again.

“Now, not to interrupt this touching moment or anything, because let’s be real, it’s been a long time coming. But, we do have a madwoman to find, who is hellbent on hurting or killing Emma.”

Regina wipes under her eyes and sits up. “You’re right, Miss Lucas. I don’t even know the woman’s name but she was there the day of the barbecue. She attacked us in that crash five years ago and I protected you as long as I could, but I was injured quite badly. Instead of killing me, she sent me from town. She wants to be the most powerful sorcerer in Storybrooke.”

“Her name is Miriam, but she told me to call her Mim,” Emma says. “She came up to talk to me during the barbecue.”

“Did you say Mim?” Regina questions sharply. “I’ve heard the name before, or rather read it somewhere.”

Emma nods. “She is in a childhood movie I watched about King Arthur. She was a villain against Merlin.”

“She mentioned Merlin, when I fought against her. Saying he tried to erase her from history. She threatened that if I ever tried to come back, she would hurt everyone close to me, starting with you.”

“What made you come back, Regina?” Ruby asks, the name feeling funny on her tongue after so many years. “Where have you been this whole time?”

Emma blinks at Ruby, clearly realizing she hadn’t even thought to ask those questions.

“Maybe once we catch her, I can explain everything in detail. Right now, I don’t think we have time,” the brunette says, but her eyes shift away from the two. Clearly something happened while she was away. “She’s probably figured out you are still alive by now and is planning her next move.”

Regina shifts out of the bed, standing and running a hand down her clothing, straightening the kinks from being curled up. She’d done the same thing as Roxy many times, but it never looked natural, now Ruby understood why.

She waves a hand over herself and in front of their eyes, transforms back into Roxy.

“As soon as I get out of this bed, I’ll be right behind you,” Emma says.

The now redheaded woman smiles softly and Ruby begins to feel like she’s intruding. She keeps as still as possible as the two seem to have a silent conversation with their eyes.

Roxy nods and turns, beginning to walk away. Emma’s voice stops her. “Hey,” she begins softly. “I’m glad you didn’t deny it this time. Or freak out.” At the puzzled look the other woman gives her, Emma shrugs. “I’ll explain later. Stay low, and don’t let her know.”

Roxy nods, jaw clenching in determination. “Get better quick, Miss Swan. I’m going to need your help.”

She looks to Ruby. “Keep her safe while she’s here, we don’t know how far Mim’s reach is.”

Ruby nods in understanding. “Don’t worry, Regina. Nothing else will happen to her.”

The two watch her walk away, not looking away until she has disappeared around the corner of the wall.

“She’s still our Regina,” Emma says. “It’s so odd seeing her like that after all these years.”

“It is,” Ruby agrees. “But you need to get your rest if we are going to defeat Mim.”

“We will defeat her,” Emma’s eyes harden. “And we are getting Regina back to us for good.”


	12. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry and Emma have a heart to heart.

“Henry, slow down,” David says from where he is propping up Emma’s other shoulder. “She’s still sore, you can’t just rush it.”

Henry looks sheepish, but Emma snaps, “I’m fine, dad.”

Despite her harsh tone, there is an underlying pain, that has Henry slowing his pace drastically. “Sorry ma,” he murmurs.

“It’s okay, kid,” she mumbles, eyes focussed on the brass 108 on the door.

It takes them a long time to finally get up the porch stairs and standing in front of the door. Emma’s gritting her teeth and moving much slower than when they had started the journey from the car.

“Why can’t you just heal yourself with magic,” Henry questions, eyes tightening in worry at his mother’s grimace. 

“Who ever used the spell to make the car hit me, wrote a counter spell for any magic that I try to use to fix it. I’ve tried, Henry, believe me. And before you ask, I already asked Gold and Blue to help, they can’t either.” She pauses and places a hand against his cheek. “I know you’re worried, but I will just have to heal like a normal person this time.”

He grumbles under her breath, in a way that showed his likeness to Emma. She chuckles at the thought.

When they make it into the house, they help Emma sit carefully on the couch in the den.

She sighs as she leans into the couch, breathing deeply on the inhale. She sends David away with reassurance, but knows Henry won’t leave her side.

“Can I get you anything, Ma?” he asks, brushing hair away from her face.

She swats at his hand with a smirk, masking the wince of pain the movement caused.

“Just a water bottle.”

He grabs one from the fridge in the kitchen, grabbing a protein bar as well, knowing that his mother will eventually get hungry. “Here,” he says, handing it to her. He sits beside her carefully as she takes a sip. He tilts his head at her, deciding to ask what had been bothering him for so long, and knowing she can’t get away from the questioning due to her pain.

“Hey ma,” he begins.

“Yeah, kid?” she replies hesitantly, scanning his features for some sign as to what this is about.

“Do you like Roxy?”

He asks it, plain and simple, and sees his mother flinch. That is never a good sign.

“I do, Henry. She’s a good person, and is really helping me out at the station,” she’s skirting around the real meaning and they both know it.

He frowns down at her. “You know what I mean.”

She sighs again, suddenly weary, not wanting to let something slip prematurely. “I really don’t, kid. She’s growing on me, but that’s it.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he’s angry. He just wants her to be happy. “I know you like her. You smile now, mostly around her, and you seem lighter, as if the weight has been lifted off your shoulders. The one that’s been weighing you down since mom disappeared. So unless there is something you’re not telling me, you like her. You even gave her mom’s cider, you wouldn’t do that for just anyone.”

“I would never forget your mom, Henry,” Emma says softly.

He shakes his head. “I know that. Of course you wouldn’t, you loved her.”

Her gaze snaps up and he chuckles. 

“Please, you’re not subtle at all. I think the only one that didn’t know was mom. I was going to start a new operation to get you two together, but then she disappeared.” He pauses. “I’m sorry, ma.”

She frowns up at him them, not following his line of thought. “For what?”

“That you lost someone you loved, again.

She wraps an arm around him. “It’s not your fault. But thank you for the sentiment.”

“If you weren’t going to ask Roxy out because you weren’t sure I’d approve, I’m okay with it. I’m okay with you moving on from mom.”

She laughs at the seriousness etched across his features. “I’m not sure I ever could,” she admits when she calms down.

Before anything more can be discussed on the subject, Ruby walks in. The two on the couch jump, neither having heard the door open. “Sorry, I did knock,” the brunette says with a smile. “Your personal guard wolf here for duty,” she continues, mocking a salute before collapsing onto the couch.

Emma rolls her eyes. “You don’t have to.”

“I was given clear instructions, and I wouldn’t dream of being responsible for the saviour’s death.”

Emma rolls her eyes again but Henry frowns. “I’ll be okay,” she assures her son. 

“I was just joking, Henry,” Ruby says when Emma scowls at her.

He nods but stands, Emma’s arm falling from around his shoulders. “I have some homework, call me for dinner,” he says, moving out of the room.

The two adults are silent until they hear his bedroom door close.

“I’ve heard nothing from her since the hospital,” Emma admits quietly.

“She’s fine,” Ruby replies. “Still comes into the diner for a coffee or lunch. She’s busy planning.”

Emma nods. “Anything from Mim’s end, have you found where she lives.”

“I’ve narrowed down the area but her scent is hard to track. I haven’t seen her since the barbecue though, no one has, I asked around. I wonder why she hasn’t done anything to make a show for the most powerful after she made Regina leave. Wasn’t that the whole point?”

Emma sighs and drags a hand down her face. “She was waiting for me to wear myself out, and I have. My magic supply is very sporadic and limited right now. I haven’t fully used it in five years.”

“Damn,” Ruby complains, leaning back. “She was pretty smart about this.”

“Let’s not admire the old hag who isolated Regina,” Emma says ruefully.

Ruby frowns. “I’m just saying.”

The two sit in silence for a few moments.

“I’m worried how Henry is going to react when he finds out Roxy is Regina. He just told me he was okay with me dating her. Then that I loved Regina. Apparently I was too obvious.”

She snorts. “That’s an understatement.”

Emma looks offended but the smirk that curves her lips let’s Ruby know the joking is alright. “I doubt she feels the same either way, and we don’t know what happened to her out there. I couldn’t ask her out, either Roxy or Regina, with everything that is going down.”

“No, I get it, Em. But when everything is over, there is nothing standing in your way.”

Emma laughs. “This is stupid, we have planning to do. We shouldn’t be talking about my love life, or lack thereof.”

Ruby nods, sitting forward. “Where do we start?”

“Sleep, I need sleep,” Emma admits, “We start tomorrow. Help me up to my room.”

Ruby helps her stand and then they make their way up the stairs. She begins to lead her towards the master bedroom at the end of the hallway. 

“No,” Emma says, tugging her towards what was once a guest room. “My room is over here, across from Henry’s.”

“Have you been in there since she disappeared?”

“Once,” Emma admits. “I can’t stay there though. Just help me to my room.”

Ruby frowns but does as asked, helping her into bed. “I’m sorry, Em.”

Emma shifts away from her. “Close the door behind you.”

“I’ll be downstairs, making sure everything is okay.”

Emma nods, closing her eyes.

“Thanks, Rubes.”

Ruby shuts the door softly and turns to see Henry there. 

His eyes are hard, glaring at her. 

“Henry, what’s wrong?”

“I know something is going on. Tell me, everything.”


	13. Mim Makes an Appearance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry is a brat, and new developments occur.

It took Emma three weeks to be back at full capacity, and there had been no sign of Mim since the accident.

“She’s somewhere in Storybrooke, we know that for a fact,” Snow says, “Blue put that spell around the perimeter to let us know if anyone crossed it and there has been no activity.”

“Blue’s magic is unreliable at best,” Emma scoffs, slouching in her seat. “With someone as powerful as Mim, she could easily evade the spell.”

David frowns at his wife before speaking, “Em, we’re trying, with Gold being the only powerful spellcaster besides Mim, it’s difficult to get much done without selling him our souls. Quite literally.”

She sighs, dragging a hand down her face. “I know, I’m sorry. This whole thing has me on edge.”

Snow squeezes Emma’s shoulder in comfort. “We’ll find her.”

Emma growls, low in her throat, and shakes her mother’s hand off, standing.

She reaches out for Henry, who has been quiet as of late and he takes her hand without a word. “Everyone should go home, and sleep. I’ll think of something tonight, and we can work on this more tomorrow,” Emma’s voice is matter of fact, leaving no room for argument. She pulls Henry with her, leaving her parents apartment.

“Can we stop at Granny’s before heading home?” Henry asks.

Emma nods distractedly and allows herself to be lead towards the diner.

When they get there, they head right to the back booth, which they normally sit in.

Henry and Emma stop short when they see that it is already occupied. Roxy sits there, sipping on a milkshake, and reading the paper. She glances up and almost chokes on her drink when she sees the two standing in front of her. “Sorry,” she coughs out.

“It’s fine,” Emma says quietly, already moving to turn away.

Henry’s voice has her stopping, “This is our seat,” he says gruffly.

Roxy’s eyes lower, not able to meet his. “I can move.”

“Henry,” Emma snaps, motioning for Roxy to stay seated. “You don’t talk to people like that. What would your mother think if she say you acting like this?”

He glares at Emma, eyes shooting quickly to Roxy, which has Emma frowning and narrowing her eyes.

“Well mom’s not here, so it doesn’t really matter anymore. We can’t do this without her, and this is our seat, with mom, not Roxy,” he argues.

“You sound like a child,” Emma hisses, as those in the diner look to them.

Roxy stands and clears her throat. “I’ll just go, Sheriff.”

She presses against the blonde as she passes, and Emma’s hand on her arm stops her. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

Roxy nods, barely keeping the tears at bay.

Henry’s hand grabs at Roxy’s other arm, and whirls her around. “You don’t get to do this,” he hisses. “This isn’t helping anything.”

Roxy shrinks under his gaze, and Emma yanks her son away, shoving him into the back. “You do not talk to people like that,” Emma snarls, “Especially someone who has done nothing to you.”

“I know, ma,” he argues, face falling a fraction. “I know who she is.”

“What?” Emmas gasps, pulling back. “What are you talking about?”

“I heard you and Ruby talking,” he admits. “She told me. I didn’t mean to yell at her.”

Emma takes another step back, and blinks at him owlishly. “Ruby told you what exactly?”

He stares back at her, grinding his teeth together. “That Roxy, is mom,” he hisses.

Emma shakes her head. “No, no, no.” She turns, moving from the back room towards the counter with murder in her eyes.

Henry hurries after her, catching up just in time to see his ma slapping the brunette waitress, and storming out.

Ruby holds her cheek and follows Emma with her eyes as the blonde leaves. She turns, eyes wide hurt, only for them to land on Henry.

He frowns, and follows his mother, hoping to defuse the situation.

“Ma, wait,” he calls out the door. “Please. Ma, stop.”

“Henry, you don’t know what you’ve done. You don’t know what could have happened,” Emma says tiredly, leaning against the fence surrounding Granny’s.

He approaches cautiously, linking their arms together. Emma doesn’t move away and he takes that as a good sign. “Then explain it to me,” he murmurs. “I’m not a kid anymore. I want to help.”

She looks at him, eyes wide, and then sighs. “Let’s go home,” she replies.

They are out front of the mansion as soon as Emma’s magic releases them in a cloud of grey smoke.

Emma growls low in her throat as she sees Mim, perched in a chair, watching them both with narrowed eyes. She steps in front of Henry, her hands and eyes already beginning to glow. “What are you doing here? Haven’t you done enough?”

Mim’s eyes glint in the light as she stands. “I heard you were in an accident, dear. I simply came to see how our fair sheriff was recovering. You seem to have bounced right back.”

“I’m sure you’re just thrilled about that,” Emma hisses, “get away from my house.”

“Why so hostile, Sheriff? I’m just a simple citizen of Storybrooke, checking on your wellbeing.”

Emma steps forward, her frame towering over Mim’s. “You are not going to get away with this,” she growls.

Mim smirks. “I already have, sheriff. I wouldn’t underestimate the little old lady you think I am.”

“Leave town, Mim,” Emma threatens.

Mim just smiles again, looking past Emma to see Henry standing there with wide green eyes that don’t hold the same anger as his blonde mother’s do. “I hope she isn’t always like this,” she says.

His gaze hardens. “I think you should heed her words, ma’am.”

Mim chuckles. “Come to the bridge tomorrow afternoon, Sheriff Swan,” she says, turning back to Emma. “I have some  _ rules _ for the coming battle, and it would be best for you to follow them.”

With that, before Emma can retaliate or reply in anyway, Mim has disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.

“Was that…” Henry trails off.

Emma crosses her arms, growling low in her chest as she turns to Henry. “Public enemy number one at the moment. But, we’re going to stop her.”

Henry opens the door, and they walk in to find Roxy laying at the foot of the spiral staircase that leads to the top floor.

“No,” Emma gasps, moving faster than Henry had ever seen her move.

The red haired woman doesn’t stir as Emma drops to her knees beside the woman. “Ma,” Henry murmurs, dropping down beside her.”

Emma’s hands are shaking as they feel for a pulse. Henry sees her physically sigh in relief and knows she found it. “She’s okay,” she breathes out carefully. Her jaw tightens. “But Mim knows.”

She pulls out her phone.

“What’s gonna happen now?” Henry whispers, taking Roxy’s hand and rubbing a thumb over her wrist.

She’s dialling when she speaks, “Now, your mother can come home. There’s no point in pretending anymore, and she can help us win this. Ruby,” she finishes, when the other woman picks up her phone. “It’s time. Regina’s coming home.”


End file.
